Hi,
After ordering a SIM from Moose Mobile for an International Student from Germany to use in his Motorola Edge Neo 40 mobile, I found out that his phone is not supported in Australia (MM Technical Support said that the phone used the 3G Band and was not compatible). I know that it has the option to use an eSIM, but before going down this path, I wanted to see if there is any providers that offer a trial to see if this works before recommending that the student purchase a phone in Australia. There may be another way that this can be achieved, but as I'm not Mobile Phone savvy, I'd be asking others for the best approach to take.
TIA
savemore
Mobile Providers That Offer eSIM Trial before Signing up
savemore on 26/07/2025 - 09:56
Comments
I'm puzzled at what the OP expects to achieve with a trial eSIM.
They have been told the phone isn't compatible with the Australian network.
Does an eSIM change the fact that that phone tries to use 3G for emergency calls?
I am trying to avoid having to make the student by another phone, as the one he has already he only got at Christmas time. As I mentioned, I am not Mobile Phone savvy, so if doing this ends up with the same outcome, then he has no choice. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained. The phone itself also has the option to connect to 4G and 5G, but I'm not sure if this is the same as the 3G Band.
The issue in Australia isn't whether a phone can use the 3G bands. It is what it does when you try to make an emergency call.
A phone can appear to work perfectly well making normal call on the 4G and 5G bands. But for years, and in many countries still, they are programmed to make emergency calls on the 3G band. So once Australia shut down the 3G networks, if you had an emergency, and tried to call for help, you'd get no signal. To prevent that happening they identify brands and models of phones that would do that, and block them from using the Australian networks at all.
Whether you're using a SIM in it, or an eSIM, or you are in an area where your phone company has no coverage, there's no SIM of any sort in the phone, it doesn't make any difference. This behaviour is programmed into the phone. In a lot of phones it is actually configurable, but not to a user, only a technician, and even if you got that done, the phone would remain blocked because it is a brand and model that's on the black list.
There is no difference between an eSIM and Physical SIM in regards to bands/network connectivity. Just borrow a Telstra, Optus and Voda SIM from family/friends/other students and toss it in to see if it works.
I'm confused by this comment as I thought the 3G network has been shutdown. Unless you mean 4G OP?
The motorola phone as listed here https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_edge_40_neo-12467.php
supports a lot of bands in 4G that are compatible with Optus (moose mobile provider). Although, I'm not sure if theres a German specs version that differs to the one listed above.My guess is that his phone has been network locked that only allows him to use a specific provider in Germany.
Regarding free trial, you can ask some relatives/friends that are not with moose/optus to temporarily provide him with their sim card to see if it works.
Get the IMEI of the handset in question and see what each of these have to say about it….
https://amta.org.au/3g-closure-old/check-my-device/
https://www.telstrawholesale.com.au/3G-Network-Closure-Block…
https://www.optus.com.au/support/checkdevice
How did you find out the phone didn't work? Did you try it?
As others said, Physical SIM vs eSIM is not the issue, and will make no difference.
Moose Mobile use the full Optus network (from a quick google).
The bands of the three Aussie networks are:
Australian Band Summary
4G
700MHz (B28) – Telstra, Optus, Vodafone
850MHz (B26) – Telstra
850MHz (B5) – Vodafone
900MHz (B8) – Optus
1800MHz (B3) – Telstra, Optus, Vodafone
2100MHz (B1) – Telstra, Optus, Vodafone
2300MHz (B40) – Optus
2600MHz (B7) – Telstra, Optus5G bands
700MHz (n28) – Vodafone, and Optus in MOCN areas.
850MHz (n26) – Telstra
850MHz (n5) – Telstra
900MHz (n8) – Optus
1800MHz (n3) – Vodafone
2100MHz (n1) – Optus, Vodafone
2300MHz (n40) – Optus
2600MHz (n7) – Telstra
3500MHz (n78) – Telstra, Optus, Vodafone
26GHz (n258) (mmWave) – Telstra, Optus, VodafoneThe European model of that Motorola support:
2G Bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only)
3G Bands HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66
5G Bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA2G is out. 3G is out. But it looks like the different networks do support at least some of the bands that the EU Motorola support. I suggest you go buy a $2 Telstra sim and a $2 Vodafone sim and try them.
Appreciate all the responses and research provided so far. I will try using my SIM Card (Woolworths Mobile) or a friends SIM card (Optus) to eliminate the SIM as the issue, confirming that the phone (Motorola Edge Neo 40 purchased in Germany) will need to be replaced with a phone purchased in Australia (if they need to have mobile phone access). Is it worth trying to find out what provider the student is with in Germany?
Get the IMEI and check using the links Colin2905 gave above. The important thing is that it is known to do emergency calling in Australia over LTE(4g) and hence is not blocked from use here. (It almost certainly does enough frequencies)
Thanks, I do plan on checking using these links. It did show Emergency Calls Only when he put the Moose Mobile SIM into the slot.
Update: After checking the IMEI on the AMTA and Optus links, neither were supported. Checked on the Telstra Wholesale link and it was supported. Bought a $2 SIM card then signed the student up to the 6 month, 140GB, $180 pre-paid plan. Thank you to all who commented.
Optus have one you can trial